What is getting me is how women are not even slightly informed as to what they may experience in menopause. I consider myself well read, informed and capable. When hot flashes first came, I was nonchalant. "Menopause", i thought, and figured all was fine.
But when the bad stuff came, insomnia, the palpitations, the racing heart rate, the anxiety that caused me to tremble in fear in my bed, shaking so hard my muscles hurt the next day......this scared me darned near to death. Because I had no idea what was happening.
My doctor offered Ativan and therapy. I tried HRT. Things were up and down. It was not until I found this site, where I read posts aloud to my husband and said, "look, this is exactly what has happend to me!" That i realized what was happening. I was not crazy, I was not becoming demented, I did not have heart disease or cancer. I had menopause, and a rather bad case.
So THANK YOU ladies, who bravely posted your symptoms and struggles. Thank you far helping me realize what was happening.